Psychedelic medicine and the clinical application of hallucinogens

This free, full-text editorial in eClinicalMedicine part of the Lancet's Discovery Science comments: "Although humans have used hallucinogens ritualistically for thousands of years, interest in their clinical use for the treatment of mental illness began in the 1950s, when active compounds were first isolated. Restrictive laws came into place in the 1960–70s limiting their medical use and investigation. Societal stigma further hampered progress and although the legal status of hallucinogens varies globally, in much of the world there are restrictions and many psychedelic drugs remain illegal worldwide under UN conventions. With the US Food and Drug Administration granting breakthrough therapy designations for 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA) in 2017 and psilocybin in 2019, we have seen a resurgence of research interest in recent years. From July 1, 2023, Australia will allow prescription of MDMA and psilocybin by authorised psychiatrists for treatment-resistant mental illnesses. Psychedelic drugs have been implicated in the treatment of addiction, anxiety, major depressive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and end-of-life care among others—typically complex and difficult-to-treat conditions. One of the most promising agents is psilocybin, a compound produced by more than 200 species of fungi. The Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann, responsible for synthesising lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), isolated psilocybin from Psilocybe mexicana in 1959. Pure psilocybin was sold at this time to physicians for use in “psychedelic psychotherapy”. We are still establishing the mechanism by which psilocybin works, but a 2022 study suggested that the antidepressant response to psilocybin is associated with a global increase in brain network integration."

For more psychedelic news and research, visit the psychedelic health professional network homepage.